Installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels

ABSTRACT

The invention provides an installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels, comprising a rail system carrying trucks which serve as tapping vessels and are disposed under and at a distance from the tapping level of the calcium carbide furnaces, a movable device for ejecting the carbide blocks from the trucks, and a plurality of juxtaposed inclined planes which are constructed as chutes and the upper ends of which are disposed near a portion of the rail system which extends rectilinearly over a substantial length, while their lower ends lead to a conveyor belt. The trucks each have an upper portion which is lifted from a flat base to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto the chutes when they are cooled to a surface temperature of about 500*C to 600*C at which they are only partially solidified and just able to retain their block form without being supported laterally. The exposed blocks then rapidly cool to a temperature of about 200*C on the chutes which are overlapped to provide vents between them for the passage of cooling air below, between and above them.

United States Patent 1 Krause et a1.

[11] 3,741,414 June 26, 1973 [75] lnventors: Johannes Krause,Hermulheim;

Wilhelm Portz, Erftstadt Kierdorf, both of Germany [73] Assignee:Knapsack Aktiengesellschaft,

Knapsack near Cologne, Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:217,063

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 24,542, April 1,1970.

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-James W. MillerAttorney-Arthur G. Connolly, Jacob C. Kellem et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The invention provides an installation for cooling calciumcarbide run off into vessels,comprising a rail system carrying truckswhich serve as tapping vessels and are disposed under and at a distancefrom the tapping level of the calcium carbide furnaces,a movable devicefor ejecting the carbide blocks from the trucks, and a plurality ofjuxtaposed inclined planes which are constructed as chutes and the upperends of which are disposed near -a portion of the rail system whichextends rectilinearly over a substantial length, while their lower endslead to a conveyor belt. The trucks each have an upper portion which islifted from a flat base to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto thechutes when they are cooled to a surface temperature of about 500C to600C at which they are only partially solidified and just able to retaintheir block form without being supported laterally. The exposed blocksthen rapidly cool to a temperature of about 200C on the chutes which areoverlapped to provide vents between them for the passage of cooling airbelow, between and above them.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures INSTALLATION FOR COOLING CALCIUM CARBIDERUN OFF INTO VESSELS This application is a division of copendingapplicatwon for US. Letters Patent Ser. No. 24,542 filed Apr. 1, 1970.

The invention relates to an installation for cooling calcium carbidewhich is run off into vessels.

In large furnaces, liquid calcium carbide is run off into crucibleswhich after being filled with calcium carbide are taken by means of acrane into a cooling hall. The filled crucibles are left for about 40hours in the cooling hall until the calcium carbide has cooled to atemperature of about 200C. The crucibles are then emptied, the carbideblocks coarsely crushed and this crushed calcium carbide is then loadedon to box belts which carry the coarse crushed calcium carbide to a finecrushing machine. In addition, a great deal of machinery in the form ofportal cranes bridging the entire cooling hall are required to transportthe crucibles from the tapping point to the hall, naturally with heavyexpenditure for maintaining the mechanical equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an installation forcooling calcium carbide run off into vessels, which greatly reducescooling time, handling, labor and space requirements and simplifiestransportation equipment. In accordance with this invention theinstallation comprises a rail system carrying trucks which serve astapping vessels and are disposed beneath and at a distance from thetapping height of the calcium carbide furnaces; a movable device foremptying the tapping trucks and discharging carbide blocks to aplurality of juxtaposed inclined planes; the said movable device beingcomprised of a horizontally movable ejector ram, a platform and aholding ram, the said ejector ram being disposed at the height of thecarbide blocks and the said platform being level with the trucks bottomdisposed opposite to the ejector ram and having inclining meansassociated to it, and the said holding ram being placeable on to thesurface of the carbide blocks; the said inclined planes beingconstructed as chutes the upper ends of which are disposed near aportion of the rail system which extends rectilinearly over asubstantial length, while their lower ends are positioned at a distanceabove a conveyor belt.

Each of the trucks have an upper portion which is lifted from a flatbase to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto aligned chutes when theyare cooled to a surface temperature of about 500 to 600C at which theyare only partially solidified and just able to retain their block formwithout being supported laterally. The exposed blocks then rapidly coolto a temperature of about 200C on the chutes which are overlapped toprovide vents between them for the passage of cooling air below, betweenand above them. This invention entails shorter cooling times andcorrespondingly smaller space requirements, while expenditure formachinery is restricted to a minimum. According to the invention, thisis essentially achieved by first cooling the calcium carbide in thevessels to a surface temperature below 600C, particularly between 500and 600C, thereupon extracting it in the form of a block from thevessels and in that form subjecting it to the action of the outeratmosphere on a conveyor device for cooling it down to a temperature ofabout 200C which is suitable for crushing it. In this manner aninstallation of the type first mentioned above for the cooling ofcalcium carbide run off into vessels is obtained which fully solves theabovementioned problems underlying the invention.

As the calcium carbide block is in contact over a large area with theair surrounding it, its cooling time is in particular reduced from 40hours to about 18 hours. Since the crucibles previously are dispensedwith, the space required or the cooling hall is correspondingly small.Since with the aid of the device the transport of the crucibles from thetapping point to the cooling hall is eliminated, the expenditure formachinery in the form of portal cranes and the like can also be reducedaccordingly.

In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention the rail systemcomprises two elongated rail loops which have a common portion of tracksituated near the chutes and which at one head end enclose the calciumcarbide furnace and run past its tapping holes.

A further preferred feature of the present invention comprises combiningtwo installations so as to obtain a double installation, wherein thesaid installations are arranged opposite to one another in mirror imagesymmetry and the imaginary mirror plane runs perpendicularly through theconveyor belt. In this way it is readily possible for the output of twocalcium carbide furnaces to be cooled in a single cooling hallassociated with the two calcium carbide furnaces, and then furtherprocessed.

An example of embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing.The invention is not restricted to the embodiment illustrated, but otherarrangements are possible within the scope of the invention. In thedrawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the installation,

FIG. 2 a cross-section through the installation on the line II-lI inFIG. 1, on a distorted scale, and

FIG. 3 shows part of the chute surface.

A rail system l4, l5, 16 runs past the calcium carbide furnace l3equipped with the electrodes 10, ll, 12, in such a manner that thetapping trucks l7 and 18 are guided past the tapping holes (not shown)on the calcium carbide funace 13. The rail system 14, 15, 16 comprisestwo rail loops 14 and 15, which have a common length of track 16extending rectilincarly over a substantial length.

In the region of the rectilinear portion of track 16 a movable ejectordevice 19 is diposed on the rails 20 and 21. With the aid of the ejectordevice 19 the upper part 30 of the tapping truck 17, 18 and 22,respectively, can be lifted and the carbide block 24, which'is alreadysolid on its surface, ejected laterally on to one of the numerousinclined planes 23 serving as chutes. The carbide blocks 24 dischargedonto the inclined planes 23 take up position in a row one behind theother. On the release of a flap 50 provided at the lower end of thechutes 23, the carbide block lying nearest the conveyor belt 25 can beejected onto the latter in order to continue on the belt its path of thecoarse crushing plant. The installation illustrated in FIG. 1 is adouble installation, in which two of the installations described aboveare disposed opposite one another in mirror-image symmetry, theimaginary mirror plane extending perpendicularly through the conveyorbelt 25.

In FIG. 2 shows a section along the line II-ll in FIG. 1 on a distortedscale, and details of the ejector device 19. The latter is essentiallyso constructed that it serves i as a portal jc rane 28'with li'ftinggear 2) for lifting the conicallytshapedupper part 30of the tappingtruckwoff ram 41 which during the operation of lifting the upper part 30of the truck holdsthe carbide block 24in posi is particularly advisableto provide hydraulic orpnem matic operation of the holding ram41.Theejectorram. 32, which is fastened on a framework 43 joined tothe pcrane beam 42, may likewise be operated hydraulically, pneumatically or.similarly.v Duringfthe ejection thef ejector ram 32 is supported againstthe rail 51 con-= structed as an abutment.

A platform 44 level with the bottom part 3l-of the tapping truck isdisposed opposite the ejector ram 32. This platform 44 is adapted to beswivelled by means of a draw device 45, so that it can be brought out ofthe horizontal position shown in solid lines into thexinclined orswivelled positionshown in broken lines.

The crane 28 moves as a whole by means of its wheels 46 on the rails"20, 21 which are supported on a number of pillars 48. i l

Theabovedescribed ejectordevice ping truck 22 is brought beneath theejectordevice.

then lifted off the bottom part 31, softhat thecarbide block 24,.lies onthe bottom part 31 of the tappingtruck 22 without lateral support fromthe upper part 30. j 1

After the upper part 30 of the tapping truck 22 has been lifted offtheejector ram 32 is operatedto push the carbide block 24off the bottompart31 of thetapping truck 22 and on the platform 44 .Theplatforn 44 iis thenswung intothe position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, so thatthe carbide block 24 can slide on the inclined plane 23;whichisconstructed as a chutefl Form'this chute 23thecarbideblock24passesafter a corresponding coolingtimeonto theconveyorbeltt25 is operated in the. following manner. When'thei carbideblock'24 has cooled sufficientlyon its outer surface toenable it toretain its block form without being supported laterally, that isto saywhenithascooled on its surface, the "tapv j 4 EXAMPLE 1;. L Y

:Liquid calcium carbide (295T litres ofacetylene per kg of carbide)wasacooled romp hours in avcrucible until the-surface.temperature of thecarbide block was a about 200C The crucible was then emptied,;thecarbide block coarsely crushedand the crushed carbide i was charged witha layer height'of about 300m onto box belts the speedsof which weresoadjusted that the I carbide dischargedfr omthe last boxbeItafte'raboutLSO minutes had a temperature of about 1509C; The tentionon the bottom p 3100f the truck The holding samplestaken, inaccordance with the rules for taking ram 41 may be operated in anydesired mannenbutit samp1eS"af terthe gommmutioh of the carbidemljgtfi'il cleshavingadiameterof from 0 to 2mm hadameanf (acetylene content of293.5 litres per kg of carbide. The Iloss accordingly was 05 percent.

is f EXAMPLE) r Liquid carbide( 295 litres oflacetylen per kg ofcarbide)was cooled in accordance with the invention in' a tapping truck for 4hoursuntil the surfacetempera ture of the block was. about 600CLThecarbide block, which had'solidified on itss urface, was then removed. i

I from the truck and loaded on a conveyor belt which delivered thecarbide block within 14 hours, during which litresper kg of carbide.

crusher. Thecoarsely crushed carbide was then loaded 3 in a layerheightofabout30 cmon boxbelts the speeds,

of which were so adjustedthat the carbidethrown off Q from thelast boxbeltafterabout30 minutes had a temperature ofabout 150C. The ten samplestaken, in aci cordancewitlithe rulesfortaking samples, after com j.minution of the carbide to particles having adiameter I of 0 to 2 mmhad a mean acetylene content M12935 Theloss accordingly was about.

0.5 percent. l

.disposed beneath and'at adistance from" the tapping and from thelatter, after being cooledtog a temperature l of about 200C, isdeliveredfto the crushiug pjart; fwhich it is subjectedfirstto coarseandthen toffine crushing. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the chute 23isvented by means of overlapping panels 49,jin orderuin this way tointensify the cooling of the carbide blocks heightsof the saidfmovabledevice being comprised of a horizon tally. movable. ejector ram; aplatform and aholding ram, thefsaidejectorrarn being disposed atfthe.height of the carbideiblocks and the said platform beinglevel withthetrucks bottom disposed opposite to the gas tor ram and havingincliningmeans associatedtoit; and

the said holding ram beingplaceableon Itothe surface I j of thecarbidefblocksj theusaid inclinedplanes being 5 .constructedaschutesjtheiipperends of which aredisy eadg r; portion qr the rail systemwhi chlexte as. rectilinearly over a substantial length,while theirlower j I j endsarerpositionedat a distance abovea conveyorbelt. 2. Aninstallationasclaimed in claim l wherein the rail system comprises twoelongated rail loopswhich have a common portion of track situated nearthe chutes and which at one head end enclose the calcium carbidefurnaceand run past its tapping holes.

3. A double installation in which two installations "as claimed in claim1 are disposed opposite one another in mirror-image symmetry, theimaginary mirror plane extending perpendicularly through the conveyorbelt.

4. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the truckscomprises a flat base and a removable top 1.. An .installatiohforcooling of calcium carbide which isrun off into vessels,fcomprising a.rail system i carrying. trucks which serve as tapping vessels and arecalcium.carbide furnaces; a movable. device it for emptyingthetappingtrucks and dischargingcark 7 f 4 bide blocks to a plurality ofjuxtaposed inclined planes; l

portion, the movable device including lifting gear connectable to theremovable upper portion of the trucks for lifting it off of the blockswhen they are surface cooled and partially solidified to a temperatureat which they are just able to maintain their block form without lateralsupport.

5. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the removable upperportions of the trucks have open tops through which the molten calciumcarbide is tapped and the holding ram is placed on the partiallysolidified upper surface of the carbide blocks.

6. An installation as set forth in claim 5, wherein the movable devicecomprises a rail-mounted crane having a path of travel aligned with aportion of the rail system carrying the trucks.

7. An installation as set forth in claim 6, wherein a delivery platformis mounted on the crane between the trucks and the chutes, the ejectorram being mounted on the crane on the side of the trucksopposite fromthe delivery platform for pushing the blocks onto the delivery platform,and tilting means reacting between the delivery platform and the cranefor inclining the platform in line with the chutes for sliding thepartially solidified blocks from the delivery platform, onto the chutes.

8. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lifting gearcomprises a suspended crossbeam, the ejector ram being connected to acentral portion of the crossbeam, and hook means for engaging theremovable upper portion of the trucks being connected to the ends of thecrossbeam.

9. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein gates are mounted atthe ends of the chutes between the chutes and the conveyor belt forcontrolling the passage of the blocks to the conveyor belt.

10. An installation as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rail upon whichthe crane is mounted extends longitudinally within the elongated railloops.

2. An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rail systemcomprises two elongated rail loops which have a common portion of tracksituated near the chutes and which at one head end enclose the calciumcarbide furnace and run past its tapping holes.
 3. A double installationin which two installations as claimed in claim 1 are disposed oppositeone another in mirror-image symmetry, the imaginary mirror planeextending perpendicularly through the conveyor belt.
 4. An installationas set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the trucks comprises a flatbase and a removable top portion, the movable device including liftinggear connectable to the removable upper portion of the trucks forlifting it off of the blocks when they are surface cooled and partiallysolidified to a temperature at which they are just able to maintaintheir block form without lateral support.
 5. An installation as setforth in claim 4, wherein the removable upper portions of the truckshave open tops through which the molten calcium carbide is tapped andthe holding ram is placed on the partially solidified upper surface ofthE carbide blocks.
 6. An installation as set forth in claim 5, whereinthe movable device comprises a rail-mounted crane having a path oftravel aligned with a portion of the rail system carrying the trucks. 7.An installation as set forth in claim 6, wherein a delivery platform ismounted on the crane between the trucks and the chutes, the ejector rambeing mounted on the crane on the side of the trucks opposite from thedelivery platform for pushing the blocks onto the delivery platform, andtilting means reacting between the delivery platform and the crane forinclining the platform in line with the chutes for sliding the partiallysolidified blocks from the delivery platform, onto the chutes.
 8. Aninstallation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lifting gear comprisesa suspended crossbeam, the ejector ram being connected to a centralportion of the crossbeam, and hook means for engaging the removableupper portion of the trucks being connected to the ends of thecrossbeam.
 9. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein gates aremounted at the ends of the chutes between the chutes and the conveyorbelt for controlling the passage of the blocks to the conveyor belt. 10.An installation as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rail upon which thecrane is mounted extends longitudinally within the elongated rail loops.